The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-03-26
FRogPERIgY Va 1919.

bear fttufestu attain prominent posi-
lion among the great producing States
Of the Union, goes without saying
Within fhe past four or five years the
fertility pf her soil, the vast forests Of
fine tiulbered lands and her minera
resources have aroused widespread
attention among the capitalists and
farmers Of the Eastern and Western
States The railroad probabilities
which are now being discussed in diff
ferent parts Of the State, notably the
Jeanerette and Abbeville and the
North and South roads will open up
and hasten the Improvement of re
gions that are at present isolated, and
the production of localities hitherto
shut Off from the outside world will be
afforded an opportunity of reaching a
ready and profitable market. The day
of Louisiana's prosperity il at hand,
and her people must take advantage
of the golden opportunities presented.
With the construction of new rail-
roads, districts prolific with fertile
lands and valuable mineral deposits
will quickly come into prominence and
hustle with active industrial pursuits,
which will make Louisiana one of the
leading agricultural, manufacturing and
wealth producing States in the Union.
Capitalists are seeking investments
in different portions of the State,
notably in New Orleans real estate and
the pine forests and prairie regions of
Southwest Louisiana. The placing of
this capital will naturally create great
industries whose influence and de-
velopnrent will add largely to the
general prosperity of the entire State,
whose advancement has been retarded
for years by various circumstances,
bnt mainly for the want of railroad
facilities and capital to develop her
resources, which in every respect are
as good and varied as any other State
in the Union.
Especially has this been the. case
with Southwest Louisiana, as is shown
by the rapid growth of this section since
the building of the Louisiana Western
Railroad. Calcasieu parish alone has
more than doubled IN population in
the past seven years, and the products
Of the parish are at least ten times
greater, while real estate has enhanced
over 200 per cent in valne. So we
repeat that Louisiana is on a boom,
and that it will not be long ere the
star of our State will become one of
the brightest in the brilliant constel-
lation of States that have been distin-
gulshed through the medium OF vain
able agricultural aud manufacturing
productions.
The need of this State to-day is i'm
migration. And to use the language
Of a contemporary, we want it in the
shape of "an increased number of
Northern and Western farmers. We
want them to como among us, aud the
more the better, and help us cultivate
our farms with skill and intelligence,
which has made the stony, sterile sol
Of Pennsylvania and other Northern
States produce paying crops. Not
only does the soil and climate extend
warm invitations to our Northern
brethren, but our people are ready and
willing 10 see the land filled with an
earnest, vigorous and progressive popu-
lation. Without yielding an iota Of
principle, the South recognizes the
fact that old things have passed away,
the war is over, and now the rivalry
IN Our country is no longer political,
but industrial"